Cooper always won them over

Tommy's tricky five minutes that were just a little 'sticky'

Description: 'Tommy Cooper' once told his daughter that 'you don't know real fear until you've stood in the wings night after night...'

And this coming from a great performer who always felt and looked at ease whatever he did.

Hard as it is to believe, there was one occasion towards the end of Tommy's career when he went five minutes before raising a decent laugh! And where could this have taken place...well the location was here at the 'Walthamstow Assembly Room'.

Peter Hudson had done a warm-up slot ahead of him and 'died the death'! As he came off Tommy asked what they were like...'A bit sticky' Peter replied.

As the silence persisted in Cooper's own act, he walked towards Hudson in the wings and whispered 'Is it time to come off yet?'

He then ambled back to the centre and for Peter's benefit muttered - with the trademark shrug that did service to a thousand words - 'Sticky?'

He bought them round in the end...never taking an audience for granted.